Nightshift 38: Stairwell by Lobby 1

[beloved_less]

[From here.]Soubi trained his lights along the stairs and began to climb them. His nerves were settling a little now, though that wasn't saying a whole lot. He was still worried about seeing Ritsuka and still unsure about the MU Hall. He barely wanted to face it at all, let alone in the company of the one person he had to prove himself to

Comments

[its_the_mileage]

[from here]

The stairway was the part of this trip Indy really didn't like. Their visibility was poor at best, and anyone or anything waiting for them would already have the higher ground--and the jump--on them long before they saw it coming. Not a situation he was crazy about under the best of circumstances, which this wasn't. He looked down and realized his right hand had a death grip on the IV pole, ready to send it spinning into action.

Come on, Jones, he told himself, half-chuckling at his own foolishness. It's a little late to develop a fear of the dark.

Still, a little conversation probably wouldn't kill them. "Aside from the fact that the doctors here are probably ridiculously overpaid for the amount of treatment they do, you manage to learn anything interesting today?" he asked Pierson in a low voice as he started his ascent.

[oldest_man]

"That this place is surprisingly multicultural for a mental institution," Methos replied. He winced as, even muted as his voice was, the sound echoed faintly off the walls. He didn't think it would have been enough to notice, had the stairwell not possessed an oppressively quiet quality without their voices to break it.

Bad visibility, easily transmitted sound, poor line of flight if something were to come out of the dark. He cataloged the problems with the location as he set foot on the stairs, forcing himself not to strain too hard to make out any noise or motion that would indicate the presence of anything out of place. Caution was all well and good, but paranoia would only serve to get them into trouble.

"I suppose the staff would claim an internationally celebrated reputation if questioned," he continued, giving himself something other than ambush sites and hunting animals to think of. "But it's still damned peculiar."

[its_the_mileage]

Indy just nodded for the moment and kept climbing. It was an interesting question, but the sooner they were out of there, the better.

[to here]

[runner_up_robot]

[from here]

Forte led Joshua silently up the stairs, determined to actually accomplish something this night instead of standing around talking. He was also getting tired of pretending to be friendly - if Joshua wanted to come along, that was his business, and if he was useful then Forte would make an effort to keep him as an ally.

[4lulzngiggles]

Hm, it was weird to have someone being so quiet and reserved, but then again, Joshua was used to someone like that. Neku took some prodding to get talking, and somehow, he was pretty sure that this man might be the same way.

As it was, he followed along easily enough. Still, he had to ask, "You mentioned that you were wanting to find out more about the body you're in. What exactly are you hoping to find out?"

[runner_up_robot]

"Well, like I said on the board, anything about human bodies that I need to know. I don't even know what I don't know. But especially how to use muscles properly. Someone else told me I can make this body stronger by exercising my muscles, and they'll work better if I stretch them before a fight."

They came to the top of the stairs, and with a suspicious look around, he entered the upstairs hall.

[to here]

[secret_orchard]

[from here still leading the rabble]

Climbing stairs forced him to slow down a little, but Armand didn't stop. At this point, he didn't know if they were behind him, but he hoped at least TK would try to keep up. He moved around other prisoners who lingered on the stairs. It seemed being small was useful sometimes.

[gone here]

[youlackmascara]

[from here]

Itachi set a fast pace up the stairs, looking around carefully with his flashlight as he went. Now that he thought about it, going first might not be the best idea considering how weak his vision was. However, he did still have complete confidence in his ability to sense an attack and his reaction time, so it should be nothing to be concerned about. He was perfectly capable of leading the group tonight.

[youlackmascara]

[to here

[hotbitterproof]

[ From here]

"And I am Godot." He waited until the boy came through the door as well, then knelt down so he would be on the same eye level as Ken. Godot was fairly good when he spoke to children, and it wouldn't do to have Ken feeling awkward around the adults. "I'd offer you a cup of coffee, but this place has stripped me of both my thermos and my mug. But I'm still happy to meet you all the same."

Godot would have also offered to shake Ken's hand, but both of the younger's were full. Instead, he motioned to the boy's flashlight. "Would it be easier if I carried that for you, since we're traveling together? I'll be sure to give it back." Unlike certain others who liked to call themselves lawyers in the stairwell. Since what made sense here seemed to be nonsense, and Edgeworth likely hadn't become a fencing master no matter how much time they claimed had passed, it was easily reasoned that Ken was their best defense against anything that might actually show up. Better that the boy be able to move freely, then; Godot wasn't

[rectifies]

"Just a few miscellaneous items. I'm getting them for someone." Hopefully, that could be the end of that discussion

[high_prosecutor]

Edgeworth nodded. That answer seemed a little too pat, a little too easy - he had to remind himself that this wasn't a courtroom. There was no need to question this further; surely if it was that important, someone who knew him better would handle the questioning

[pleading_ngri]

"Sounds fair to me- woah! Watch it!" Phoenix pulled back as a man barreled past them, barely avoiding getting body-checked.

What's his prob- CHRIST.

He flattened himself harder against the door as a second figure rushed by, something that gave the impression of glowing yellow eyes and claws before it was scrambling up the stairs after the first man. It whipped around the first corner and out of sight, but not before Phoenix trained his flashlight to follow and saw that it was wriggling, back a nest of shining pseudopods like the feelers of some deep-sea creature. Then they were gone, the clatter of feet on concrete rebounding from the close high walls, and Phoenix released a slow, shuddering breath. He took up his position in front of Edgeworth, and after a few more seconds realized that there were wide-spaced drips of blood running in dark beads up the stairs.

". . . yeah." He swallowed, taking the stairs a steady, careful step at a time. "Let's go."